Cubs sign Jon Jay

[davell]

I don't think we're spending on a closer, so my guess is we spend between 10-15 mill on a pair of relievers and add a cost controlled SP thats making under 5 mill. I doubt we even hit last seasons total for the beginning of the season.

[Rob]

I'm shocked at the amount of people that think $8M is a significant amount of money in 2016

 

They've got about $30 mil to play with, give or take, after arbitration if they want to match last year's opening day salary total. I just didn't expect 25% of it to go to a platoon outfielder for Almora.

 

I think that's underselling it. It's the strong side of the platoon, and he helps to fill in for some very real weaknesses on our team as presently constructed (like the idea that Schwarber or Soler might pretend to play defense in the late innings).

 

Jay is going to play in a lot of games this year, if healthy.

 

When MLB revenues go up like 10% annually, this is the sort of thing that happens. $8M now is basically what $4-5M was when Theo and Jed took over.

[Rob]

I don't think we're spending on a closer, so my guess is we spend between 10-15 mill on a pair of relievers and add a cost controlled SP thats making under 5 mill. I doubt we even hit last seasons total for the beginning of the season.

 

I think there's more payroll room than that. I'd be highly surprised if we don't trade Montero and Soler. We may have to eat a good chunk of Montero's contract, but that's still some savings.

[17 Seconds]

I'm shocked at the amount of people that think $8M is a significant amount of money in 2016

 

They've got about $30 mil to play with, give or take, after arbitration if they want to match last year's opening day salary total. I just didn't expect 25% of it to go to a platoon outfielder for Almora.

 

i thought it was an extremely predictable move

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Last year's opening day payroll got boosted by a fair bit with the additions of Coghlan, Chapman, and Smith(roughly 11 million in dollars paid). The team also drew 300k more than last year and had 8 postseason home games and a World Series win. Last year's opening day payroll isn't likely to be a hard cap, and even if it were, there's really not much else to spend on in terms of holes to fill or in terms of players available for money.

[davell]

Last year's opening day payroll got boosted by a fair bit with the additions of Coghlan, Chapman, and Smith(roughly 11 million in dollars paid). The team also drew 300k more than last year and had 8 postseason home games and a World Series win. Last year's opening day payroll isn't likely to be a hard cap, and even if it were, there's really not much else to spend on in terms of holes to fill or in terms of players available for money.

 

Yeah, we're in a great spot. I'm not complaining about whether payroll equals or exceeds last years. Its about filling holes. If we didn't make a single move the entire off season, we'd be easy favorites to win the division. Could even potentially be projected as the best team in the NL without making a single move.

 

As it is, we've got a need for a cost controlled starting pitcher and a few pen arms. I doubt we spend huge money on a bullpen piece and since there's plenty of ways to fill that, its not a necessity. Just make sure we have enough to get Otani or someone next year, when we need to fill a TOR SP.

[Cubswin11]

Seems like with what little we need and where we are payroll wise now vs last year that it makes a lot of sense to spend the big money on Jansen or Chapman. But yeah, I guess I'd be fine with adding Daniel Hudson and like Blevins and pretty much being done if that starter doesn't come available via trade.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Fie on those who dare question the decisions of Theo and his colleagues.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I'm shocked at the amount of people that think $8M is a significant amount of money in 2016

 

They've got about $30 mil to play with, give or take, after arbitration if they want to match last year's opening day salary total. I just didn't expect 25% of it to go to a platoon outfielder for Almora.

 

i thought it was an extremely predictable move

 

Think not of it as $8mm for a platoon CF, but as $9mm, give or take, depending on what AA earns, for a potentially 3-5 WAR everyday CF platoon.

 

JJ was worth 11.2 WAR between 2010-2014. He was injured through about half of 2015, but still managed a 1.6 oWAR with the Pads in 2016. His dWAR was -0.5, but that should be expected in your first season in a cavernous hell like PetCo. And I know horsefeathers like this is mostly meaningless, but he also has a career .297/.377/.442 at Wrigley.

 

Besides, the only other money they need to spend is for a closer.

[Bear Cub]

i think there must be a bunch of money that can be used if they so chose. Has anyone ever heard a figure as to how much the playoff run and World Series added to the bank account?

[CubsWin]

Seems like with what little we need and where we are payroll wise now vs last year that it makes a lot of sense to spend the big money on Jansen or Chapman. But yeah, I guess I'd be fine with adding Daniel Hudson and like Blevins and pretty much being done if that starter doesn't come available via trade.

I like this contract for Jon Jay. He adequately fills the biggest need they had.

 

Given the depth and all around lack of holes on their existing 40-man roster, the Cubs are in a position to go for upside with their acquisitions this winter. Given the medicals check out to their liking, I'd love the Cubs to sign Greg Holland on the rebound (assuming his price doesn't get ridiculous), sign Eovaldi on a low risk/high reward deal and let him rehab at the Under Armour Performance Center in Mesa (one of the best in the league), and a veteran reliever (Blevins would be great, but I wouldn't be upset if they brought back Travis Wood).

 

Then there's this elusive trade for a young starter with upside. It doesn't need to get done now. There's a school of thought that next off season would be better given the number of high quality starters that will be FAs going into 2018. The more options a team has the better their bargaining position. But if it does happen this year, I'd like the Cubs to get a AA or AAA starter they like. Certainly, if the offer is something like Soler, Candelario and a minor league pitcher, they won't get a stud prospect, but I trust the Cubs scouts to identify somebody they really like who they're confident can be ready by 2018 and provide depth in AAA this season.

[UMFan83]

My only concern is that we're going from a CF that had a roughly .400 OBP to a platoon with 2 guys in the .320's. But I guess we are going from last year's LF to Schwarber so that evens it out at the very least.

[BigbadB]

Seems like a cheaper version of Dexter. Will likely play CF and lead off. His splits as a lead off hitter for his career is .282/.344.

 

Jay

Bryant

Rizzo

Zobrist

Schwarber

Russell

Heyward

Contreras

 

If Heyward can figure things out this offseason, I'm happy with this. Use the saved money on Dexter and spend it on a closer. Trade off Soler and minor leaguers on a starter and a utility infielder and I think this team will be kinda good.

[Sammy Sofa]

My only concern is that we're going from a CF that had a roughly .400 OBP to a platoon with 2 guys in the .320's. But I guess we are going from last year's LF to Schwarber so that evens it out at the very least.

 

Fowler's .393 OBP seems like a pretty clear outlier for a guy with a career .366 OBP. Heck, dude pretty significantly outperformed his slugging, too; Fowler's good people, but looking at his offensive numbers from last year as a kind of CF standard seems like setting expectations a little too high.

[Bull]

It's so early in the offseason that there's obviously potential for more moves and I'll give the FO the benefit of the doubt. But going into the year with Jay/Almora as our CF seems to be kinda risky and half-assing it.

It could also mean that we intend on going with Javy as primary 2B, Zobrist in RF, Heyward in CF, Schwarbs in LF with Almora and Soler as bench.

Or the return of the Javy in center experiment.

 

Also, meh.

[BigbadB]

Does Happ have any chance of being a decent defensive CF or is he bound to 2b? Seems like he's discussed in trade scenarios more than anything, but with a 1 year rental on Jay, maybe the organization believes one of Almora or Happ could be ready by 2018?

[BigSlick]

*long exaggerated shrug*

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Does Happ have any chance of being a decent defensive CF or is he bound to 2b? Seems like he's discussed in trade scenarios more than anything, but with a 1 year rental on Jay, maybe the organization believes one of Almora or Happ could be ready by 2018?

 

He's a corner OF or 2B (and Jim Callis and the folks at BA seem to think he's better off in the OF).

[Clem Fandango]

Seems like a cheaper version of Dexter. Will likely play CF and lead off. His splits as a lead off hitter for his career is .282/.344.

 

I would hope Zobrist becomes our leadoff hitter with Schwarber back inthe lineup.

[davell]

My only concern is that we're going from a CF that had a roughly .400 OBP to a platoon with 2 guys in the .320's. But I guess we are going from last year's LF to Schwarber so that evens it out at the very least.

 

Plus, it'll be hard for Heyward to suck as bad as last year. Add in that our youngsters conceivably should continue to improve and our offense will be better than last year, even with losing Dex.

[sneakypower]

career .311/.382/.411 w/men on base, .272/.331/.366 w/bases empty - clutch!

[UMFan83]

career .311/.382/.411 w/men on base, .272/.331/.366 w/bases empty - clutch!

 

you call it clutch, I call it pixie dust

 

(actually he had a .999 OPS with men on last year with SDG)

[BigbadB]

career .311/.382/.411 w/men on base, .272/.331/.366 w/bases empty - clutch!

 

you call it clutch, I call it pixie dust

 

(actually he had a .999 OPS with men on last year with SDG)

 

That's all Epstein needed to see. Once .999, always .999!

[WrigleyField 22]

Seems like a cheaper version of Dexter. Will likely play CF and lead off. His splits as a lead off hitter for his career is .282/.344.

 

I would hope Zobrist becomes our leadoff hitter with Schwarber back inthe lineup.

Yep. Zobrist followed by some combo of Bryant, Rizzo, Schwarbs. Then Russel. Then some combo of Heyward, Baez, Contreras.

[JennieGarthAlgar]

Seems like a cheaper version of Dexter. Will likely play CF and lead off. His splits as a lead off hitter for his career is .282/.344.

 

I would hope Zobrist becomes our leadoff hitter with Schwarber back inthe lineup.

Yep. Zobrist followed by some combo of Bryant, Rizzo, Schwarbs. Then Russel. Then some combo of Heyward, Baez, Contreras.

 

I really think it's time to let go of the CF Heyward lineups, for now (unless you're advocating for CF Zobrist or CF Baez?)